“Racing has so many amazing stories”
Broadcaster Sally Ann Grassick has quickly become one of racing’s most recognisable faces. And the turf is in her blood, discovers Andrea Smith
With a pedigree that makes her part of Irish racing royalty, Sally Ann Grassick is also fast becoming the face of television racing and during Longines Irish Champions Weekend, Sally Ann will be working with RTÉ’s racing team. As well as commitments with the Irish broadcaster, Sally Ann works with ITV and France’s Equida.While she has a natural presence on TV, what sets Sally Ann apart is her knowledge. It’s hardly surprising as she grew up steeped in a world of racing. Her grandfather Christy was a jockey-turned-trainer, and his five sons were all involved in racing. One of these, her late dad Brian, was a bloodstock agent. He married Sheila and Sally Ann is the youngest of three children.
The 33-year-old recalls having a very happy childhood, where ponies and horses featured heavily. “I went to Presentation Girls School in Maynooth, and had a great head teacher, Sister Róisín Gannon, who was very encouraging around my love of horses. Dad was brilliant and extremely well-respected in the industry, and I went on lots of road trips around Ireland to different races with him.”
After college, Sally Ann spent two summers working for trainer, Criquette Head-Maarek in France. She went to England and worked with various trainers to gain experience, while working at Tesco. Sheikh Mohammed popped into the store one day, and at that point, she probably wouldn’t have dreamt that she would one day ride his horse, Monarch’s Way, to victory in the Prix de la Reine MarieAmelie in Chantilly, the most prestigious race in France for female amateurs.
Sally Ann’s TV career was initially born from adversity. She had some bad falls over a three-year period, resulting in her breaking her cheek bone, wrist and humerus. During this time she did some work for Leopardstown and Punchestown racecourses, through which she met the Channel 4 racing team. Former jockey and presenter with the channel, John Francome, facilitated her getting work experience and she fell in love with TV. Channel 4 recommended a TV presenting course, and after she completed it, she worked on building up her contacts and experience. “People like Clare Balding were brilliant,” she says.
Sally Ann’s career was a mixture of various strands over the next few years, including riding for trainer Robert Collet in France every year. With her heart still in TV, she applied to French horse racing channel, Equidia, in December 2008, just before her dad Brian died aged 54. “I found out that I got the job after that so he never knew,” she says, sadly. “Dad had only been sick with skin cancer for a year and his prognosis was pretty good for the first while. He got the all-clear in August, but it came back and went to his brain and he died in January 2009. It was a big loss for all of us, and the hard thing for me is that he never saw me ride a winner or present.”
Sally Ann was living in France back then, and it was a lonely time for her. She’s in awe of how her mum and sister Cathy have kept her dad’s legacy going so wonderfully with the stud farm and bloodstock business. She returned from France in 2016 and has now joined them.
“Cathy is very hands-on with the farm, Mum is the accountant and money person and I do the administration, website and media side of it,” she says. “We all bring different things to the table.” Her brother Mark is a journalist in London.
Sally Ann represents Longines Irish Champions Weekend in France, liaising with trainers there about horses that would be good candidates for the races. “When I was living in France, Pat Keogh wanted to talk to trainers about having French horses come and run to make Longines more international,” she says.
“He asked if I would be their guide and to introduce them to people. We have done it for three years now, and it has been huge and has really promoted Longines Irish Champions Weekend. I liaise with trainers about which horses would be good candidates, and when they come over to Ireland, I look after them. It has become such a big event and I am proud to be part of this showcase for Irish racing.”
Throw in work for a French stud farm, covering sales and writing articles on a freelance basis, and Sally Ann is one busy woman. “I love racing as a sport so opening it to the wider public is huge.” says of her TV work. “There are so many amazing stories behind the people on the horses. I love that I’m getting the opportunity to show that to people.”
I LOVE RACING AS A SPORT, SO OPENING IT TO THE WIDER PUBLIC IS HUGE, THERE ARE SO MANY AMAZING STORIES BEHIND THE PEOPLE ON THE HORSES, NOT TO MENTION THE GUYS IN THE STABLES AND THE SMALLER JOCKEYS